Nightmare Foretold if Greece Heads for Euro Exit

[Conley]

In Athens, the homeless are on the streets in growing numbers, soup kitchens feed twice as many people as a year ago, and the poor are diving into garbage bins in search of scrap they can sell.

Greece is close to breaking point as it struggles with austerity targets set by creditors, but this is just a foretaste of the nightmare of unrest, hunger and even anarchy that could engulf the debt-crippled nation if it is forced out of the euro.

If the exact economic impact of such a move is hard to nail down - newly issued drachmas devalued by up to 70 percent, runaway inflation, a banking meltdown, a collapse in trade - the implications for ordinary Greeks crushed by the debt crisis are even harder to predict.

Without international bailout cash, salaries and pensions would go unpaid and violence, political extremism and uncontrolled emigration could quickly follow.

After voting inconclusively for parties that opposed foreign-imposed austerity, including the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn, Greeks head to the polls again in a month's time. This election is being portrayed internationally as a referendum on the single currency, even if Greeks do not yet see it that way.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/18/us-greece-grexit-idUSBRE84H0HW20120518

It seems that increasing violence and rioting are all but a certainty, unfortunately. If the current path continues, the police and military won't be able to even buy fuel. It could be utter chaos.

[a777pilot]

Greece? Who cares? Only 11 million people and an economy about the size of Philadelphia.

I hope the EU and their stupid little Euro fail.

[a777pilot]

p.s., Yes, I have a reason.

[Conley]

p.s., Yes, I have a reason.

What reason is that?

[a777pilot]

The EU and their little Euro was set up to be a challenge and a replacement for the USA and our dollar.

As the EU fails on their stupid idea of socialism and spending to save, the wealth there will come to the USA. It will be welcome here.

With new and real leadership in Washington soon, I hope, this nation stands ready to start a march to such greatness never before even dreamed of by mankind.

We have many more time the energy resources needed for our own use. I opine that in 5 to 7 years we could be realizing an income from the sell of this energy to over seas nations of over a trillion dollars a year.

We will finally be able to bring our troops and military forces home from that cesspool called the middle east. Let them kill off each other. I don't care.

We stand close to the edge. Obama's way is the way to the trash heap of history. Romney's way is to that of greatness and untold increases in our standard of living.

Oh, yes, we need more than just Romney in the White House. We need to vote out of office every incumbent in the 112th Congress. Democrat, Republican or Independent. They are an entire class of failures. We need a do-over.

[Peter1469]

Greece will benefit from leaving the Eruo zone. And so will I. Once things stabilize I will be looking at a 2-3 week vacation there.

[Mister D]

Greece will benefit from leaving the Eruo zone. And so will I. Once things stabilize I will be looking at a 2-3 week vacation there.

Be sure to say hello to the Golden Dawn!

[Trinnity]

Germany should save itself and get out of the EU.
Stop paying the bills, Germany !!!

[Peter1469]

I think that if Greece does not leave the EZ, Germany will end up doing so to protect itself.

[a777pilot]

The future is in the new Europe, not old Europe.

[Peter1469]

Actually I would reverse that: Europe will split apart back into nationalism. The old Europe.

[MMC]

Actually I was thinking Germany would pull out themselves. What do you think things are going to be like with Hollande and Merkel? Germany isn't going to take a back seat to France nor allow us to influence their decision with their dealings on Austerity with the French.

[a777pilot]

Actually I would reverse that: Europe will split apart back into nationalism. The old Europe.

You could be right.

[Peter1469]

Actually I was thinking Germany would pull out themselves. What do you think things are going to be like with Hollande and Merkel? Germany isn't going to take a back seat to France nor allow us to influence their decision with their dealings on Austerity with the French.

Oil and water. They have very different geopolitical goals. France wants to control the EU and Germany actually controls it and wants to continue to control it. That is the only reason Germany has not bailed the EZ yet. But mark my words, after the next national German elections- the Eurozone is over.

Germany is preparing for this. They are minting Deutschmarks. They are making statement along the lines of "the EU is not about an economic union, but a political union."

I think that Germany will walk from the EZ (if Greece does not exit soon) in order to create a crisis where European nations will come together and decide whether they will actually create a unified Europe. And if they do, German dreams that are 1000 years old will be fulfilled. Germany will essentially rule Europe. And they would have done it without killing lots of people.

Brilliance, if you ask me.

Back to France. They were the initial supporters of the concept of the EU. They wanted to check German power and make sure that they didn't have to surrender to the Germans again in the future. Their plan backfired by the late 1990s- after German successfully reunited its eastern half, it set its sights on controlling the EU. And the Germans just work harder and longer. They slowly took over the power base of the EU. And the French plans for the EU failed, mon Dieu!

[a777pilot]

Oil and water. They have very different geopolitical goals. France wants to control the EU and Germany actually controls it and wants to continue to control it. That is the only reason Germany has not bailed the EZ yet. But mark my words, after the next national German elections- the Eurozone is over.

Germany is preparing for this. They are minting Deutschmarks. They are making statement along the lines of "the EU is not about an economic union, but a political union."

I think that Germany will walk from the EZ (if Greece does not exit soon) in order to create a crisis where European nations will come together and decide whether they will actually create a unified Europe. And if they do, German dreams that are 1000 years old will be fulfilled. Germany will essentially rule Europe. And they would have done it without killing lots of people.

Brilliance, if you ask me.

Back to France. They were the initial supporters of the concept of the EU. They wanted to check German power and make sure that they didn't have to surrender to the Germans again in the future. Their plan backfired by the late 1990s- after German successfully reunited its eastern half, it set its sights on controlling the EU. And the Germans just work harder and longer. They slowly took over the power base of the EU. And the French plans for the EU failed, mon Dieu!

I once told a friend of mine, who was born and raised in Berlin, that if Germany was ever re-united, they, Germany, would invade France by force of habit. She laughed.

Maybe I was making a prediction and not a joke.

[Peter1469]

I once told a friend of mine, who was born and raised in Berlin, that if Germany was ever re-united, they, Germany, would invade France by force of habit. She laughed.

Maybe I was making a prediction and not a joke.

I am sure that the EZ will collapse. I doubt the EU will. But if it does, within a decade there will be war again in Europe.

[Conley]

Oil and water. They have very different geopolitical goals. France wants to control the EU and Germany actually controls it and wants to continue to control it. That is the only reason Germany has not bailed the EZ yet. But mark my words, after the next national German elections- the Eurozone is over.

Germany is preparing for this. They are minting Deutschmarks. They are making statement along the lines of "the EU is not about an economic union, but a political union."

I think that Germany will walk from the EZ (if Greece does not exit soon) in order to create a crisis where European nations will come together and decide whether they will actually create a unified Europe. And if they do, German dreams that are 1000 years old will be fulfilled. Germany will essentially rule Europe. And they would have done it without killing lots of people.

Brilliance, if you ask me.

Back to France. They were the initial supporters of the concept of the EU. They wanted to check German power and make sure that they didn't have to surrender to the Germans again in the future. Their plan backfired by the late 1990s- after German successfully reunited its eastern half, it set its sights on controlling the EU. And the Germans just work harder and longer. They slowly took over the power base of the EU. And the French plans for the EU failed, mon Dieu!

Great post.

[RollingWave]

Well the Germans did kinda rule most of Europe anyway during the times of Charles the Great, and one could argue even during a good portion of the Holy roman Empire.

to be honest, if greek bombs outta the Euro (which i agree is extremely likely) the chances of war is extremely high, and there may actually be a chance that Greece is the aggresor as silly as that sound, since even now they have a disporpotionally huge army and defense budget out of (outdated by about 100 year) turkophobia. if they bomb the only thing worth a spit their government will still hold would be their fancy toys. and the odds of them figuring they might as well make the most out of those toys.... (also Greece has mandatory conscription IIRC so mobilization for war is relatively easy even with a completely bombed economy, seeing that most adult male already have at least some basic military training.) I'd figure they'd probably either invade Macedonia or Cyprus. with the former seeming to be more likely as ironic as it sounds.


It is probably quite foolish to jeer for the Euro to completely fail though, given the nature of the global economy, it is unlikely that anyone wins in the short term (like 5-10 years) if the Euro bombs, the only question is who loses more.

[Shoot the Goose]

Greece is the poster-child for the failings of liberalism. The parasites killed too many hosts, and now there are none left for them.

But as we see, they think they can vote themselves money that they do not have. They can't handle the truth, and seem to lack the spine to change their ways.

Don't we see "anti-austerity" movements rising with these liberal parasites everywhere ?

In fact, we see it right here in the US, with our own Democrat Party. That can't pass a budget. Can't cut spending. That has no plan except to demonize all Conservative plans to cut spending.

Greeks. Democrats. Same shit.

[Captain Obvious]

Greece is the poster-child for the failings of liberalism. The parasites killed too many hosts, and now there are none left for them.

But as we see, they think they can vote themselves money that they do not have. They can't handle the truth, and seem to lack the spine to change their ways.

Don't we see "anti-austerity" movements rising with these liberal parasites everywhere ?

In fact, we see it right here in the US, with our own Democrat Party. That can't pass a budget. Can't cut spending. That has no plan except to demonize all Conservative plans to cut spending.

Greeks. Democrats. Same shit.

Bingo

[a777pilot]

Greece is the poster-child for the failings of liberalism. The parasites killed too many hosts, and now there are none left for them.

But as we see, they think they can vote themselves money that they do not have. They can't handle the truth, and seem to lack the spine to change their ways.

Don't we see "anti-austerity" movements rising with these liberal parasites everywhere ?

In fact, we see it right here in the US, with our own Democrat Party. That can't pass a budget. Can't cut spending. That has no plan except to demonize all Conservative plans to cut spending.

Greeks. Democrats. Same shit.


...'nuff said.